Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary time Year A - October 18, 2020

SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2020 29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A MISSION SUNDAY Isaiah 45:1,4-6, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, Matthew 22:15-21 PARTICIPATE IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST Today being mission Sunday, the church sets it aside for us to reflect on our involvement in the Missionary mandate of Christ and our propagation of the gospel. God has from the very beginning, been on mission to save us. Starting with the people of Israel, he led them from slavery in Egypt to the promised land and sent them priests and prophets to continue to guide them. In the fullness of time God sent his only begotten Son to die for our sins so that we can be saved. Before his ascension, Jesus called everyone to continue his Missionary work on earth. In Matthew 28:19, he tells us to go into the world and proclaim the gospel and baptise. Pope Francis in his Mission Sunday message to all Catholics, picked Isaiah 6:8 when God asked who he would send. The answer we all should give like Isaiah is, "here am I, send me". We all should be ready to go on mission to preach the word of God. It is not for the priests and religious alone. The word of God is still very much needed today as it was during the time of Christ. As Pope Francis says in Evangelii Gaudium, the Mission of Christ is far from being over, in fact, we have not evangelised a great part of the world. Some of us may not be able to actively go on mission as priests and religious, nevertheless, we can also go to the mission by praying and supporting those who are in the mission field. We pray that almighty God will give us the grace to witness to him and to work for the evangelisation and salvation of souls. God help us. Amen. Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP